Planter



Jan. 25, 1944C c. H. WHITE 2,340,163

PLANTER Filed June 10, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l F/G. I 38 5 .34 a; 3 g 39 2 25 l- 42 30 C. H. WHITE Jan. 25, 1944.

PLANTER Filed June 10, 1940 v5 sneets she.2

, IJWEA/TOR: CHARLES H. WHITE Jan. 25, 1944. c. H. WHITE 2,340,163.

PLANTER I Filed June 1.0, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet s FIG. 10

INVENTOR: CHARLES H. WH E I invention is the provision passage leading from the upper to the lower valve Patented Jan. 25, 1944 I ED STATES P ENT i OFFICE. :J N'T EZ.

Charles H. White, Moline, 11L,

& ll(gompany, Mollne, 111., no

assignor Deere a corporation of Illi- Application June 10, 1940, Serial Ka -339,699" 34 Claims. (01. 111-51) The present invention relates generally to planters and the like and is more particularly concerned with planters of the check-row type and has particular reference to the combination of a fertilizer attachment with the planting mechanism in which the fertilizer valv is oper-v ated through the operation of the lower seed valve of the planting mechanism.

The object and general nature of the Present invention is to provide a check-row planter which is particularly adapted for tractor operation. It has been found that the use or planting implements introduces a number of problems, not commonly encountered with the slower moving horse-drawn implements, having to do with the provision of mechanism that can be driven and will be eincient and operative at tractor speeds up to five or six miles per hour, or more. As will be readily understood, the efficiency and successful operation of a planting implement depends to a large extent upon-the accuracy with which the seeds are deposited. In my prior United States Patent No. 2,243,933, issued June 3, 1941, I have disclosed planting means which includes a lower valve constructed so that the seeds to be deposited are held in contact with the ejecting face of the valve, whereby the operation of the valve results in a pushing action against the seed, rather than striking the seeds with an impact action. I have found that where the seeds are pushed generally downwardly and rearwardly, they do not scatter in the row but remain practically where they strike the ground, whereas it they the seed tends to scatter due, I think, to the fact that the seed may lie in diflerent positions The present invention is in the nature of an improvement over the planting mechanism shown in said prior patent.

One of the principal ieaturesof the present or an enclosed'seed so that the seed in falling from the upper valve to the lower valve are not aflected by movement or the means that operatively connects the two valves. In other words, the cross sectional area of the seed passage does'not vary. prior art planters of which I am aware, it has been found through the use oi h sh speed photractor-propelled are struck with an impact action and are struckat various points relative to their ofthe seed against the side walls valve structure is tography that rapidly oscillating parts that form a part of the seedpassage leading from the upper valve to the lower valve would sometimes strike the last seed released bythe upper valve, delaying,

the passage of the seed'to the lower valve and in some cases actually breaking the seed apart. This type of defective action occurred particularly in prior art machines where the seed passage included a part that 'moved toward the opposite wall during the time that the seeds were falling from the upper-valve tothe lower valve. In

the construction shown in my prior patent, above mentioned, this disadvantage was not present.

the push plate, which conlower valves and which forms a partof the seed passage, actually moved away from the path of travel of the seed in falling from the upper valve toth'e lower valve. It is, therefore, more specifically a feature of the present invention provide a seed tube and utilize the same as thepopnection between the upper valve and the lower valve, and preferably the connections are such that the seed tube while being vertically oscillatable, does not experience any great amount of fore and aft or lateral movement. Hence, according to the present invention, the seeds fall from nects the upper and "Another features: the present invention is the provision or upper and lower valve means adapted position in order to close the valves. According to the present invention, the construction is such that there may be some variation in the position to which the valve operating means may return,

relative to the lipper valve whereby rebounding of the upper to a considerable extent elimmated. Conventionalseed selecting mechanism usually includes a seed plate which rotates in a the upper valve to Y the lower valve without interference, and furthermore, the passageway for the seed is smooth horizontal direction, the seed plate having cells.

high speed planting operation.

from which the seed therein are elected downwardly into the upper-valve means. It has been found, however, particularly in high speed operations, that the seed plate rotates at such a rate that instead of falling directly downwardly from the seed plate the. seed elected therefrom fall through-a laterally'extending. trajectory which is initially fairly flat. with the result that the seed rebounds from the side walls of the upper valve structure and does not immediately come to rest. As will bereadily understood, any delay in'the seed coming to rest against the associated the best placement for fertilizer. Previous structures of which I am aware have utilized the principle of splitting the fertilizer stream into two laterally spaced parts, but so far as I am I aware it is new to divide the'fertilizer stream in this manner with an impact action. This is an especially important feature of fertilizer distriasiones line 8-8 of Figure 8, illustrating the manner in which the fertilizer stream is divided;

Figur lo is a section taken along the line Iii-40 of Figure 8, illustrating a portion of the connections between the seed valve mechanism and thefertilizer distributing valve mechanism; I

and

Figure ll is a fragmentary side view of the trash kicker arm, illustrating the feature of the present invention wherein .the position of the arm and its support-may be varied relative to the furrow opener but without causing a y variation in the angle at which the arm normally is dis-.- posed relative to the ground.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure l, the reference numeral l indicates the planting unit of an agricultural implement, such as a corn planter. Inasmuch as this type of planter is old and well known in the art, it is not thought necessary to completely illustrate the same herein. Hence, only such parts of the planter as are necessary to an understandbution by planting mechanism that is capable of These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view, with certain parts broken away, of the furrow opener and cooperating parts of a planter in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated; Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken generally along the line 2-4 of Figure 3 showins the relation between the hopper bottom and the! upper valve chamber; p

' view looking downwardly at Figure 3 is a top the upper end of the runner shank, illustrating 'the offset relation between the hopperbottom and the upper valve means;

Figure 4 is a. sectional view takengenerally along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

' Figures 5a and 5b, are side views, similar to Figure 1, showing the slightly open and fully open positions of the seed tube and upper and lower.

valves, illustrating in particular that the valves remain closed irrespective of slight variations in the upper position of the seed tune;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the lower valve and illustrating the connection between the lower valve and the fertilizer distriouti'ng mechanism carried by the planter furrow opener; v

- Figure 7 is a rear view of the fertilizer distributing valve and associated parts; I

Figure 8 is a view of the fertilizer valve in its partially closed position, illustrating the operation thereof wherein the fertilizer is, deflected rearwardly and then split into laterally spaced portions by the upwardly angledpart of the fertilizer valve;

F gure 9 is a section taken generally along the ing of the present invention have been shown. Tractor operated planters are usually provided with a plurality of planting units, such as the one indicated by the reference numeral l, and usually such a planter comprises frame means, which maybe the tractor itself, to which each planting unit is connected by draft means, such as a pair of links 2 and 3, which are shownin Figure I as pivoted at l and 5 to forwardly extending lugs which usually form a part of the furrow opener shank, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I. Various types. of furrow openers are in use at the present time, but perhaps the most common type is the type of furrow opener referred to as a sled runner opener, and this is. thetype of furrow opener that I have shown in the'ac-=" companying drawings, as indicated by the refer* ence numeral 8. It is to be understood, of course, that the present invention is in no way. dependent upon the use of any particular} typ 10f. furrow opener; therefore where belowI refer tova runnet, or to a runner shank, ,it is to be understood that this is merely for convenience andth'at the shank 'l and that the furrow opener 8 aremerely representative of all equivalent structures. For

example. the shank I may carry a single disk' opener, a double disk opener, a stub runner opener, or anyother kind, desired, and in some cases the shank I can ,be' used with more than one type of furrow opener. In other cases the shank .I must necessarily be especially constructed; I or providedwith special attachments accommdr dating some particular type'of furrow opener.

The furrow opener shank'l is preferably a casting which is hollow, as indicated at H, so as to provide what may be termed a seed passage which accommodates the seed valves and associated mechanism, as well as accommodating the passage ofthe seed from the upper valve to the lower valve. The furrow opener shank I is provided with a forwardly extending lug l2 by which the furrow opener 8 may be fixed thereto in any suitable manner, as by a bolt l3. A furrow opener of the runner type, as indicated at 8, comv monly comprises a forward soil engaging knife section it and a rear section that comprises two spaced apart plates i6 and I6 which run in the furrowopened by the forward section it so as to accommodate the deposition of seed in the furrow. The front end of the furrow opener 8 is 'reenforced by a pair of braces ll which are bolted, as at l8, to the runner shank 1 and, as at 18, to the front end of the runner 8. The braces I1 and the front end of the runner are particularly constructed to accommodate a feature of the present invention, to which reference will be made below.

The upper end of each furrow opener shank I conventionally carries seed selecting and feeding mechanism, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 20; Preferably, the seed selecting and feeding mechanism includes a seed can 2| secured in any suitable manner to a base or support 22, preferably in the form of a casting provided with a pair of forward lugs 24 which are pivoted by a bolt or other suitable means 25 to a forwardly extending lug 26 fixed to or formed integral with the upper portion of the shank 1. The base 22 is also provided with a pair of rear lugs 29 with which a thumb screw 30, pivoted to 9, h1g3! on the upper end of the shank I, is adapted to engage for fixing the seed can 2l in operative position. The flow of seed from the seed can or hopper 2| is controlled by a seed plate 33 rotatablymounted at the bottom of the hopper 2| and driven by means of a bevel gear 34 which meshes with a pinion 35, the latter being driven in any suitable manner from the tractor or the ground wheels (not shown), or in any long slot 54 and an angularly related slot 55 join- 1 ceiving chamber just mentioned is controlled by the opening and closing of the valve It will be observed that the form or configuration of the seed receiving chamber 42, 5| is quite similar to the seed chamber shown in my abovementioned prior patent. The present'seed re-' ceiving chamber 42, 5|,like the seed chamber shown in my prior patent, is V-shaped so as to eliminate so far as possible rebounding of the seed falling into the chamber from the seed seother suitable manner. The hopper bottom 22 is plate whenever the cells are rotated into a position' over the opening 31 However, in the event that the seed should tend to stick in the cells,

suitable cut-off and knocker mechanism, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 38, is provided. Since the details per se of the mechanism 38 do not form a part of the present invention, except in novel combination with other parts to be described later, it is not deemed necessary to show the knocker and cut-off mechanism 38 in detail. So far as the present invention is concerned, any suitable means for removing, discharging or ejecting the seed from the seed plate at a certain point in the rotation of the seed plate may be used. Therefore, the seed selecting and feeding mechanism just described is representative of any suitable selecting mechanism for dropping a predetermined number of seeds according to the actuation of the 33 or some other part.

The shank l is of the type that includes a main member 39 open at one side which is closed by a plate 40.

The upper end of the runner shank I is formed with a seed chamber H in which a seed chute 42 is disposed. Preferably, the seed chute 42 comprises a channel-like member having side walls 43 and 44 and an inclined front wall '45; A bolt 46 (Figure 2) extends through an opening in the side wall 44 and an opening in the adjacent portion of the shank I for fixing the seed chute 42 in position. The rear portions of the side walls 43 and 44 are apertured to permit the seed chute 42 to be disposed over a stud 48 fixed in one side wall 49 of the shank I. The rear end of the seedchute 42, when thus supported on the stud 48 and the bolt 46, is open, but is adapted to be closed by an upper valve indicated in its entiretyby the reference numeral. As best shown in Figures 5-0 and 5-12, the valve 5| is pivotally mounted on the stud 48 and is provided with a forward face 52 and a rearwardly disposed cam section 53. The cam section 53 is formed with a seed plate 42, 5| rebounded a few times from one wall to the other, it might be possible that the valve 5! would open and close before the last seed of the group would fall from the chamber 42, 5|. This is eliminated by the V-shaped configuration, as more fully explained in my prior patent men tioned above.

The seed discharged from the seed receiving chamber and valve 5i are received in the upper end of a closed seed tube indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 58 and with the upper end of which the lower end of the seed chute 42 is in telescopic association. Also, the seed tube 58 serves as means for operating the 'upper valve 5|. Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 4, the seed tube 58, which is square or rectangular in cross section, carries a pair of arms 59 at its upper end, the ends of each arm 59 extending beyond the front and rear sides of the seed tube. The rear ends of the arms 59 receive a pin 5| which extends through the cam slots 54 and 55, and the forward ends of the arms 53 are apertured to receive a pivot pin 62, the ends of. which are fixed to a pair of hell crank levers 63. spaced apart relation by a pair of pins 65, which may be identical with the pin 62, one of the pins serving as a pivot to receive the rear end of an operating link 61 preferably connected to the "pivot pin 65 by means of a u.-shaped yoke ll.

The intermediate portion of the latter is apertured to receive. the rear end of the link 81, and the ends of the yoke 88 are apertured to receive the pin 65. Lock nuts 63 are threaded onto the rear end of the link 61 so as to fix the yoke 63 and closed under the control of a check wire through the medium of a check fork, the check wire having buttons thereon which periodically,

rock the check fork and open the valve. At the same time, the rocking of the check fork also I controls a clutch by which power is intermittently delivered to the seed plate to advance it The latter are rigidly secured together in deliver the right amount of seed into the upper valve chamber. The link I], which controls the .seed .tube I! through bell cranks 63, is connected to be actuated by a check fork of the usual construction, and from Figure 1 it will be seen that rocking movement of the bell cranks It causes the seed tube II to oscillate in a generally ver-- being closed when theseed tube is in its upper position and open when the seed tube is in its lower position. Normally. the seed tube It is held in its upper position by any suitable means,

540,103 a predetermined but adjustable amount so as to surface of the wall It. This surface therefore forms, when the valve II is opened, a seed electing surface which pushes the seed downwardly which may be associated with the check fork, al-

though any other suitable means may be emplayed. as desired.

The lower end of the seed tube, which slightly decreases in crosss'ection toward the lower end thereof.. is provided with suitable lower valve.

means which is secured to or forms a part of means which swingably supports the lower portion of the seed tube. As best shown in Figures 1 and '4, anarm It, which comprises two laterally spaced sections ll and II, ,is pivotally mounted on a stud II which is fixed. like the stud II, to the wall ll of the runner shank I,

the stud I8 being disposed to the rear of theseed tube It The forward ends of the arm sections 14 and II are .aperturedand receive a pin is secured thereto and serving to pivotally support the lower portion of the seed tube I by means of a yoke II which encircles the seed tube and extends forwardly so as to pivotally receive the pin 18. A lower valve II is secured to the arm II and is of particular construction. The valve ll is'in the form of a curved channel member which is disposed at its upper end between the two arm sections H and Ii and, being fixedly secured thereto, serves to maintain the arm sections in laterally spaced apart relation so as to embrace the lower portion of the seed tube II. The valve channel member is indicated by the reference numeral II and is apertured at It to receive the socket portion .3 of a spring yoke 84 to which reference will be made below. The

lower end lid of the valve member ll curves downwardly and forwardly so that the lower the hopper and. rearwardly into the furrow opened by the furrowopener 8, instead of striking them with an impact blow which, it has beenfound, tends to scatter the seed. Electing the seed with a general pushing action, even though rapid, main-' tains the seed in a relatively small hunch.

Beforedescribing theoperation of the valve mechanism, as set forth above, the particular way of mounting the seed selecting and feeding mechanism 20 with respect to the valve mechanism will be described. Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, it will be noted that the forward hopper receiving lug 2' of the runner shank I and the rear lugs ii are not disposed in a fore and aft line coinciding with the generally fore and aft axis of the shank 1 and associated valve mechanism. Instead, the forward lug'll is disposed slightly to the left (Figure 3) and the rear lugs 3i slightly to the right, thus oilsetting in a counterclockwise direction (Figure 3) relative to the upper valve chamber 42, II that receives seed from the seed selecting mechanism 20. In this figure the upper end of the shank 1 and the upper valve means have been indicated in dotted lines in order to show the relation therewith of the rotatable seed plate and knocker means 38, and from Figure2 it will be noted that the opening 31 in thehopper bottom and th knocker mechanism 38 aredisposed an appreciable distance to the right (Figure 2), or in a counter-clockwise direction (Figure 3), from, the upper valve chamber 42, II. In operation, the seed plate 33 rotates in the direction of the arrow (Figures 2 and 3). As will be understood by those familiar with check-row planters, the seed plate four seed at a time into the upper valve. As

section thereof is disposed at such an angle that 1 i tive to the axis of the stud It, about which the lower valve 80 and the arm 13 pivot. The purpose oi this particular arrangement will be explained below.

The lower end of the seed tube II, which is formed in a particular manner so that it may be considered as a part of the lower valve mechsnism, is formed with a downwardly and forwardly inclined wall ll which, with the lower I end of the valve member ll, forms a lower valve chamber of substantialiyV-shaped configura-- it extends generally in a circular direction relawill be seen from Figure 2, according to the present invention, the hopper and associated parts are so placed relative to the shank 1 that the seed whether two, three or four, are ejected from the seed plate at a point before the seed cells reach a position directly above the upper valve chamber. The reason for this arrangement is to I accommodate the relatively rapid rotation of the seed plate, such as takes place when the planter is propelled by a tractorat rates of speed commonly used intractor operation. As shown in Figure 3, the seed selecting unit is, in effect, offset in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the seed plate, as by being rotated in a generally horizontal direction about the axis of rotation of the gar 34, which is supported at the upper end of the runnershank 1. However, the desired amount of oflset may be obtained by other means, such as being offset by a lateral displacement, rather than an angular offset. However, the structure disclosed in the drawings is the preferred means for carrying out this feature of the present invention, inasmuch as it has certain advantages from a manufacturing standpoint. For example, the seed selecting and hopper unitemployed in the construction shown in the drawings maybe interchangeable with other I seed selecting units notnecessarily adapted for tractor speed operation.

asconcs .f The present invention also contemplates the provision of new and improved fertilizer'distribut- -ing means which is, in eii'ect,"gearedto the high speed. valve mechanism just-described, and which is. moreover, particularly constructed to accomvmodate therela'tively rapid action whichis reouired in a fertilizer distributor that is to be actuated by a high speed planting valve Referring now more particularly to Figures l.

- 8 and 9, the reference numeral act indicates .a -=fertilizer boot casting having at its forwardlwrtion a pair of lugs i ti and 9 52 which are adapted inech to be secured, as by bolts its and let. to lugs its and ltd secured at the-rear lower portion (Figural) of the runner shank l. {The passage cornprising the iertilizer hoot proper is indicated at iill andfertilizer is directed thereto through a fertilizer tube ill; of conventional construction. The fertilizertube -I II is'& part oil'and therefore represents, any suitable fertilizer feeding mechanismthe details of which do'not per ae form a part of the'present invention. The opposite side walls. indicated at H2 and. lit, of the casting i700 areapertured to receive a pivot pin! it which pivotally supports as fertilizer valve H5.- 'lhe l! which is received within the aperture 82 in the valve 8|. The spring am 181 and "I ei'iectively'hold the forward ball end of the link I in position but permit its, ready detachment whenever it is desired to remove the. fertilizer boot 00. In attaching the link, all that it is necessary to do is to push the member it! into place between the spring arms I31 and I38.

'An important'featureof thisparticular part of the presentinvention resides in the fact that if it should occurthat slump of fertilizer lodges in between the valve H5 and-the fertilizer boot and holds the valve open, the connection between the, fertilizer valve and the seed. valve is such that the latter is'not held open, even though the fertilizer valve should be held in open posi tion. This is true hecausetheyokeitt merely engages the central section i2! .whenthe fertilizer valve 5 is-beingopened, audit the valve lit should remain open there is nothing to prevent-the yoke I from moving away: from the section iii. However. as soon as the obstruction,

valve lit includes two ansularly related sections 522 is anchored to a lug. its carried by, and preterably formed integral with; the fertilizer'hoot its. The spring i2? acts at all timestomove the valve lid to its closed position. Elie rear wall, which is indicated at 825, of the fertilizer hoot its is formed as an inverted vi. as. indicated at lit (Figure '7), so as to receive the section ill.

of the fertilizer valve. |At the rear portion of the such as the lump offertilizer just mentioned,

is removed, the spring 122 will close-thefertilizer valve ll5.' v m' 1 Fromthe above construction it will he seen that whenever the lower seed valve this opened,

- as by swinsing rearwardly and downwarfiy. the

movement of the lower seed valve exerts a 'rearward thrust through theiink itdasainst the valve H5, opening the latter.- Then when-the seed valve 80 closes, thesprine closes the fertiliper valve lie. When the'iertilizer valvelid is wide open, as indicated in. dotted lines iii-Fisure 1, it will be noted that the ll-shaped valve portion ill is disposed substantially; directly underneath the fertilizerpassaae Ht. Thus. the

falling fertilizer is split into two streams and is deposited on opposite sides, either amve or below the seed. However, the, valve lid is held-open only a short moment, the seedand fertilizer valves opening and closingisomethina like ltd or more time per-minute at speeds aroundiive fertilizer boot 800 the. side wall sections 2a and ma adjacent the valve H5 have their lower edges'disposed i n .a rearwardly and downwardly inclinedv plane againstwhich theflat section H8 of the valve H5 fits in substantially leak-tieht relation when the v shaped section ill of the valve H5 is disposed in the V-shaped notch 526.

Normally, therefore, the spring. I22 holds the valve H6 closed so that no. fertilizer can flow from the fertilizer passage i id.

I The fertilizervalve i5 is connected so as'to he I opened at the sometime that vthe seed tube as is actuated to cause seed to .liedcposited in the furrow opened by the runner 8. To this end, a

connection is established between the valve HE and the lower seed valve ht. ,Asbest shown in Figure 10, a yoke ltd has two spaced apart sections it! pivoted on the pin Ht anddisposed ononpOsite sides of the spring I22. The outer or forward end of the yokeis-formed with a socket H33 in which the rear hall end ofa link I34 isor six miles an hour. When the valve lid starts to close the flat portion iidstrikes the falling fertilizer and, due totheangular relationshivolved and the downward velocity of the ferti-- lizer itself, the fertilizer is deflected rearwardly with something like an impact or striking action; particularly noticeable at the higher speeds.

However, the fertilizer-thus thrown' re'arwardly does not fall directly. above or onto the seed but is split by the angled section l'i'i so as to fall on f opposite sides of the seed. The action of thev fertilizer, especially the impact action and the splitting of the 'rearwardly deflected portion of hold the latter in received. Preferably theyoke itil is made of two parts secured together by a rivet I35. The A forward ball end of the link :34 is jdetachably received in'the spring clip or yoke 8! secured in,

any suitable mannerto the rear side of the valve 8|. The yoke 84 has two spaced apart spring fertilizer boot casting I00. In;o rder to .clear awayrtrash; such as corn stalks and-other debris-lying on the ground or arms m and m, andthe'central part of the yoke 84 is formed with the'depres'sion or socket thefertllizer is indicated by small arrows in Figure 8. This is an important feature where the planter is operated at the higher tractor speeds.

Fertilizer runner plates 3 and I are bolted to opposite sides of the fertilizer boot casting 100. Preferably, thev runner plates I48 and! are disposed over thepin Ill thereby-serving to position. -'1he runner plates are shaped to provide the desired furrowffor the rated bands, one at each side of the seed. The

plates: and I are secured inplace'by the -bolt I M and a rear bolt, 6, the-latter extending rearwardly through 9. lug -l llrformed on the embedded in the ground closely adjacent :the surface, I provide a novel form of trash cleaner deposition of the fertilizer in two laterally sens I in which a pivoted arm-iswmounted' at the front end of the planter'runner and is" moved through the soil with ,its end an inohor so-below the sur-- face; thereby pushing to; one side any stalks or other'debris that might interfere with the-proper penetration of: the planter runner ll. Referringnow more particularly to Figures 1 and 11,. the trash cleanerarm is indicated by the reference numeral I50. and comprises a forwardly and downwardly curved section l5! and an upper which is engaged by aspring I56. The rear end,

of the spring is anchored to 9. lug I51 formed on or-carri'ed by the runner shank I. Mention was made above to the fact that. the braces H are bolted at "to the front end of the runner blade I 4; To this end, the'runner blade is provided with a slot I59 in which the bolt; is disposed. The provision of the slot makes it possible to raise orlower the braces. I l, merely by loosening the bolt l9 and moving the bracestotheir new position. This raises and lowers the position of the trash arm I55 relative thereto. I have found, however, especially for high speed tractor operation, that the arm I55 should bis-disposed at about the angle shown in Figure l, and: therefore in order to retain this angle even, though the braces l1 areraised and lowered relative to therunner blade in order to accommodatediflerent depths of penetration, I have arranged to have the upper end of'the arm; I55 rest against the forward: end of the runner, and I'have so shaped the forward end of the runner so that regardless ofin what position the braces, I! may be disposed, the arm ISO-is always held at the proper angle. This action. is illustrated in Figure 11 which shows the two extreme positions of the braces I I and the arm I55. Aszwillbe readily understood, the-spring l55 exerts a positive force holding the upper end 152 ofjthe arm- I55 against the end of the runner ll at all times. Ineifect, this provides a prestressed trash cleaner which chamber l ortly. after the valvebegins toopen, due to the V-shaped configuration of; the valve chamber; and the fact that. the-seed: drop therefrom as $001! as the valve has-opened only a'sli'ght' amount; At" the same time that theupper valve is opening. due to the downward movement of the seedtube 58, the same'downwardmoveme'nt of the latter servesto swing.- the lower valve 80 downwardly-and rearwardly, there.- by opening the lower valve chamber 55. The angular relation of the arm", the pivots" and 18; and the lower end'llla is such; that, flrst',=as' the seed tube 58 moves downwardly it follows.the,

downward movement of the'lower; end of. thevalve 5| which, dueits curvature, is more or less arcuate aboutthe axis of rotation, at 15 Since the-lower wall 8! follows, for a tlme..the lower end "a of the valve: II,, the valve. chamber" 55' is not. opened immediately. However, after. the,

arm 15 has moved-through an appreciable angle, the valve member 8t i'sswung'rearwardly at an accelerated rate, faster thanthe' rearward and downward movement. of the seed electing: face ll of the seed tube 58. However,.duringthis time'theslowerend of. the valvemember 8i holds the seed up against the electing face 85 so that whenthe valve 8| doesopen-theseed-are pushedout of the chamber: 89' in a rea'rwardly and downwardly extending direction,

7 action, as in, prior valves. As-will bereadily understood, wherewthe valve -mechanismcomprises-some-partthat ordinarily is spaced-away'from the'seedbut is moved against-the same-so as to strike the seed andeject them, the fact that the. seed are struck tends toscat'ter theseedsince the directioninwhich they" rebound after being struckv depends to a considerable-'extent upon. the-relation be- I tween the striking face andthe center of gravitynormally remains in the position shown, yet if, I

an abnormal obstruction is spring I55 yields.

The operation of the planter, with the ferencountered, tho

tilizer attachment and the trash cleaning attachment, as described above, is substantially asfollows.

Asthe planting machine is drawn through the,

field the conventional check-row mechanism periodically exerts a pull on the link 6'! to open extent suflicient .to bring the pin 6| past the dwell portion of the-cam slot, the valve-5| begins to open. Unlike the generally horizontally shiftable upper valve members, upon which in many instances the seed rests until the valve-is practically in its wide open position, in the present invention the'seed drop from the upper valve of each seed. On the other hand, where the seed. merely are pushed out and particularly where they are'normally heldlin contact with theei'ecting face, such pushingactionadischarges theseed,

in. one bunch andqthey do, not scatter.

Thus, when the check wire actuatesthe assoelated check fork, the seed, lying in: the upper chamber 42, 5| are. dropped toward the lower chamber 59, while theseed in the latter chamber are pushed rearwardly. At the same time, the seedplate 55 associated: therewith is: advanced and the correct number of seed released there-- from and fall into the upper seed chamber 42; ll. However, due to the factsthat. the seed plate itself rotates rapidlyin a horizontal direction, the seed ordinarily would strike one wall of'the 'seedchamber 42, ,Slfif they were released ata point directly above the seed chamber, asin conventional-practice, and would rebound from side-toside. This does not occur to any objectionable extenthhowever, in the present invention, duetothe fact that by'virtue oi the offset relation betweenthe seed;

selecting and feeding mechanism, and the valve mechanism as described above, the seed are-released a predetermineddistance beforethe seed are over the uppervalve chamben, Thus, if it may be considered that the seed released from the seed chamber 33 have a trajectory, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, theupper portion thereof lies in laterally spacedrelation away from the valve chamberwhile the more sharply curved downward portion thereof extends within the. upper. valve chamber, thereby eliminating the lateral rebounding of the seed which would otherwise occur at the higher planting speeds. As mentioned above, the rebounding of the seedlis also further instead of being the. ground'is not appreciablychanged.

WhileI have. shown and described above the reduced or-elimlnated by'the v shaped configurati'on ot'theuppenchamberifl, It.

At the' i'same"time:that the. lower'valvel-I is.

swung downwardly-andr'rearwardlythe fertilizer:-

valve II Sis-*openedby the connections l I30", I34, and. after the valve: l'I-Iisopened .the. spring. I 22 almost immediatelycloses; the. same so as to cause:- the flat portion I I6 'to'strikethe fertil'izerand dc"- flectth'e same-generally rearwardly while-theirear angled portion I I1 splits the deflected. fertilizer in the two laterally disposed streams. Here the scattering of'the. fertilizer, due to "the; impact ac tion, which is objectionable so far as the-seed is concerned, ,isadvantageous in that thefertilizer isrdistribut'edroveranappreciable extent of the soil ateach side of. the closely bunched seeds. The .tertilizer valve. [Ii-and associated parts maybe lockedin open. position whenrit.is .=desired to drill. corn; and: to this end; the-particular construction.

ofithe valve-I l5 shown and described above'is advantageous in thatthe angledsection HT is 01'.

sufllcient extent so that" all fertilizer fed down through the passage I I0 isdivided into two later-- ally spaced-strains; In other words, the angled section I I"! has two functions. First, when check- I rowing the section. I IT splits the .fertilizer that" is thrown rearwardly. by the flatter portion" 1 lb of" the'valve, and-second, when drilling, the section 1 "serves asa divider tosplit the fertilizer-that. I

iscontinuouslyfed down through the passage I I 0.

The trashicleaner, being prestressedv as. de+- scribed above, normally remains in the position shown and maybead-justed for different depths off'penetration by loosening the bolt I9 and moving the braces I I so as to dispose the trash cZeaner in-the-position' desired. The end of the runner" bladeis shaped: so that during this adjustment the-angle ofthe trash cleaner arm with respect'to preferredfstructure iniwhich'the principles of'tlie' present invention-have been incorporated, it is,

to be understood that I my invention is .nottobe. limited-to'theparticular details shown and de'-- scribed above, but that, in fact, widely diflerent: means may be employed in the practice of-Jthe broader aspects ofmy invention.

WhatI'claim, therefore. and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

.1. In a planter, a generally. vertically oscilla toryseed tube, valve meansclosing the lower end of said. tube, andmeans pivotally supporting the lower end of saidtube cn said valve means.

2.. In a planter having a furrow opener shank,

a generally vertically oscillatory seed tube, upper valvemeans connected with said seed" tube and controlling the: movement of. seed to said seed? tube, avalve member adapted to close the lower endof. said. tube in. one position thereof and. -mcunted for" pivotal movement on saidshank,

means'supportingthe lower end of said tube on said lower. valve'member, means separatefrom: 'said-upper-valvemeans for supporting the. upper;

end of'said seed tube, and means separate from said valve meansfor oscillating said seed tube so as to open and close. said valve means andtvalve member.

3; In a planter, a hollow furrow opener shank,

a generally vertically disposed'seed tube movably:

carried in said shank, means pivotally' connected with said-shank for supporting the upper end of said seed tube and oscillating the same generally vertically 'withinsaid shank, means serving as an arm pivotally connected with-said shankadjacent the lower end of saidztube, means 'pivotally In. a planter, upper-and.lower seed valves movable from opened-i-to closedpositions, a membereior moving: said valves from one position to thee-other; and mean's'aconnecting said member with at-least: one oi'isaid: valves whereby at least said "onevalve will' bezheldin one of its positions irrespective of small variations in thecorresponding. position oif said: member.

5'. In:- a planter,; upper; and-:lower seed valves movableircmropenedsto"closed positions, a memberitor moving; said valves: from one position to the'other, and means-"operatively connecting said member: with both: of. said; valves whereby each valve willibeheld 'in substantially closed position. irrespective'ofgsmali-variations-in the corresponding position or said member.

6. Inc planter,. aimed-valve adapted tobe' opened and closed, on. operating member for controlling said valve. and cam meansconnectlug-said;operatingamemberwith said valve, said cam means includinga dwell portion serving to hold thevalveisubstantially against movement in. oneposition during apart of the movement of said member.

7': Iniaplanter, valvezmeanscomprisinga pair oficooperatingparts normallyin contact at their endswhen: thevalvetmeans is closed, meanssupporting one. of said? parts. for movement about a pivot. axis,: the oth'erof said parts being connected; with said. oneipart whereby swinging movement ofthelatter separates saidparts, the

contacting; parts beinggformedto extend generally inianarcuate direction,,relative to said pivot axis, whereby saidapartscan move an appreciable distance before" appreciable separation of said parts takesplacer. 8-...In- :a planter; an upper seed valve adaptedv to be opened and closed an oscillatory; member forrcontrollingzsaid"valve, means connecting said operating member "with". said valve whereby the latter is: heldsubstantially against movement in oneposition duringsa: part ofthe movement of" said member, lowerrvalve means comprising a pair'ofcooperatingparts-normally in contact at their'loweriendswhereby, the lower valve means is closed, means supporting oneof said parts for movement-about a pivot axis, the other of said parts being connected with said one part whereby-swinging movement of the latter separates saidxparts, the-contacting;partsbeing formed to extend generally in: an. arcuate direction, relative tosaid: pivot' axis; whereby said'parts can move an appreciable distance before appreciable separationqot'saidpartstakes place, and means connecting one of ,saidzparts with said. oscillatory member whereby the-:- latter controls said upper and lowervalve meansand is operative to hold the latter: closedrirrespective of small variations in. the. correspondingposition of the oscillatory member.

- 9*. In a planter, receiving valve mecha-- nis'm, seed'selecting:mechanism-movable into a position adjacent said. valve mechanism to deliver seed-thereto, andimeans-for releasing seed from said seed selecting mechanism before the latter'reaches a position above. said valve mechanism so as to iaciiitatethe discharge of seed into the latter notwithstanding the motion of,

I vided with generally diametrically disposed attaching means, a seed plate having seed cells and means adjacent one of said attaching means for discharging seed from said seed cells during. rotation of. said seed plate, and attaching means on said shank for fastening said seed can unit' in place with said seed plate in driving relation with said seed plate rotating means, the attaching means on said shank being displaced angularly about said axis relative to said seed receiving valve mechanism so that when said seed can unit is mounted in place on said shank by said attaching means, said seed can unit is displaced angularly about said axis in a direction opposite to the normal'direction of rotation of said seed plate, whereby the seed is released from the eco es tance sufiicient to openthe same and dispose said V-shaped section in generally horizontal position underneath said outlet. is

' 18. In a fertilizer distributor, a fertilizer boot having an outlet at its lower end, one wall of said boot having formed therein a notch, and a valve member pivotally mounted on said boot adjacent the opposite wall and including a first rotatable in a generally horizontal plane, and lo section adapted to close said outlet and a second upwardly turned section at the other end of said first section, the notch in said one wall receiving said upwardly turned section when the valve I and deflect the same generally rearwardly, and a before the seed reach a position above said valve I mechanism.

11. In a planter, a fertilizer distributor comprising a fertilizer boot, and a valve at the outlet end thereof having a first portion which closes said outlet and a second section which is disposed substantially underneath said outlet when the valve isopen for distributing fertilizer flowing therethrough.

12. A fertilizer-distributor as defined in claim 11, further characterized by said second portion of the valve being disposed at an; angle to the section.

generally edge-shaped part adapted to'receive said deflected fertilizer and divide the same into two laterally spaced portions.

-' 18. In a planter, a furrow opener having a outlet and deflect the same generally rearwardly,

and enerally wedge-shaped means adapted to receive said deflected fertilizer and divide the same into two laterally spaced portions at each side of the seed deposited by said planting means. l9..A planter comprising a furrow opener shank, a lower valve means pivoted to said shank for generally fore and aft swinging movement,

- a fertilizer boot fixed .to said shank. generally 14. In a planter, a fertilizer distributor com- ,prising a fertilizer boot having a fertilizer outlet at the lower end thereof, and a'pivotally mounted valve disposed adjacent said outlet, said valve including a part having two angularly related sections, one section'being adapted when the valve'is closed to close said outlet and the.

- other section being wedge-shaped and so angularly disposed relative to said first section that when the valve is closing said first section strikes the falling fertilizer and directs it against the second section and the wedge-shaped formation ofsaid second section serving to deflect said fertilizer laterally. l

15. In a fertilizer distributor, a fertilizer boot having an outlet opening, the plane of which is es disposed angularly upwardly, a fertilizer valve pivotally carried by said fertilizer boot and including a first section which is generally flat and is adapted to close said inclined fertilizer outlet and a second section disposed at an angle to a said first section and of substantially inverted V-shaped configuration, said N-shaped section v rearwardly of said lower valve and having a fertilizer opening, a fertilizer valve pivotally carried by said fertilizer boot and movable into and out of a position closing said fertilizer outlet. and

a link pivotally connected to said lower valve and havingia one-way connection with said fertilizer valve whereby .movement of the link in one direction serves to open said fertilizer valve but the lower valve may close independent of the closing of the fertilizer valve;

20. In a planter, a hollow furrow opener shank,

a generally vertically disposed seed tube movably I 21. In a planter, a hollow furrow opener shank, a generally vertically disposed seed tube movably carried in said shank, a bell crank pivoted on said shank, means connected with one arm of the bell crank for oscillating the latter, means supporting the upper end of said seed tube on the other arm of the bell crank, an upper 'valve for controlling the fiow of seed to said seed tube, and means for causing movement of said seed tube to open and close said upper valve.

22. In a planter, a hollow runner shank, a

seed chute Istationarily supported at the upperend of said shank, an oscillatory seed tube mov:

m mounted in said shank and having its upper end in telescopic relation with the lower end of said stationary chute, valve means controlling the movement or seed from said seed chute into i a said osciilatory'seed tube, means for oscillatin said seed tube, and means whereby said seed tube controls said valve means.

23. In a planter, a shank, an upper and a lower seed control member pivotally mounted on upper and lower portions, respectively, oi said shank.

an operating 'member movably connected with both or said seed control members for opening and closing the latter,

mal opening and closing movement of said parts,

' and means for causing said parts to swing together, movement of the latter through the above mentioned part of their movement serving to prevent passage oi seed therethrough during such movement.

29. In a planter having a hollow runner shank and an upper valve which when open permits seed to drop through said runner, the combination oi. a lower valve member, and means tor actuating the valvemember comprising 'a part in said hollow runner shank so' formed that at v 24. In a planter, a shank and means for controlling the passage of seed through said shank, said means comprising a valve member pivoted on an axis in fixedrelation torsaid shank, a tubular member adapted to receive seed released by said valve member and reciprocable relative to 'saidsh'ank, and means on saidtubular member slidably engaging said valve member iorcontrolber'.

25. In a planter, a shank and means for con-. Itrolling the passage of seed through said shank, said means comprising a valve member pivoted on an axis in ilxed relation to said shank, a tubuilrst it moves generally along the path'oi movementor and sumciently close to a portion orsaid valve member to prevent passage or seed'therethrough. and-then in a path or movement that diverges from the path oi movement of said valve 1 I portion so as to provide for the passage of seed therethrough.

30. In a planter, a runner shank, a seed chute "stationarily supported at the upper end oi. said ling the latterby movement pf said tubular memshank, said chute having an open lower end, an

oscillatory seed tube movably mounted in said shank and having its upper end disposed about thelower open end of said chute in telescopic relation, means for oscillating said seed tube, and

valve means controlled bythe oscillations of said lar member adapted to receive seed released by means onsaid tubular member slidably engag- 4 ing in the slot of said valve member for controlsaid valve member and reciprocable relative to said shank, said valve member havinga slot, and '30 valve means connected with said seed tube and ling the latter by movement or said tubular-member. i

26. Ina planter, a shank and-means for controlling the passage or seed through said shank,

said means comprising a valve member pivoted on an axis in ilxed relation to said shank, a tubular member adapted to receive seed released by said valve member and reciprocable relative to said shank, said valve member having a slot with a dwell portion, and means on said tubular memmember for controlling the latterby movement or said tubular member, said last mentioned means being operative, when engaging said dwell portion, to hold said valve member in one posi-' valve member, the latter having a cam with a dwell portion, and means connected with the operating member and engaging said slot, said last i mentioned means being operative, when engaging said dwell portion, to hold said valve member in one position during a limited extent of movement of said operating member.

' 28. In a planter having a furrow opener shank.

a seedlvalve mechanism therefor comprising a pair or relatively movable parts adapted to be moved into and out of engagement to serve as controlling means for the passage of seed therethrough. means movably supporting said parts on said shank so that the portions of said parts that are adapted to come substantially into engagement move through difl'erent paths of movement, said supporting means being arranged so that the paths or movement or said parts are apber s'lidabiy engaging in the. slot of said valve 'seed tube for opening and closing the lower open end of said chute.

31. In a planter having a furrow opener shank,

a generally vertically oscillatory seed tube, upper controlling the movement of seed to said seed tube, a valve member adapted to close the lower end or said tube in one position thereof and mounted for'pivotal movement on said shank, means supporting the lower end of said tube on said lower valve member, and means separate from said upper valve means for supporting the upper end of said seed tube.

32. In a planter including a runner shank and an oscillatory seed tube therein, means serving as an arm pivotally connected with said shank adjacent the lower end oi said tube, means pivotally connecting the arm means with said tube whereby the lower end of the latter is supported for generally vertical oscillation on said arm means, and means carried by said arm means I for closing the lower end of said seed tube in one position of said arm means and said seed tube.

33. In a planter, a hollow furrow opener shank, a generally vertically disposed seed tube movably carried in said shank, means pivotally connected with said shank for supporting the upper end of said seed tube and oscillating the same generally vertically within said shank, an upper valve movably mounted in the upper portion 01' said shank and controlling the passage of seed into the upper end of .said seed tube, and means on the seed tuba ior opening and closing said upper valve. 34. In a planter, a shank and means for controlling the passage of seed through said shank,

proximately coincidental during a part of the nor said means comprising a valve member, an operating member for opening and closing said valve member and normally movable through a given range of movement, and means connecting said valve member and said operating member whereby during a part of the movement oi the latter said valve member is shifted and during another I part or the movement oi. said operating memher the valve member remains in position.

' CHARLES H. WHITE. 

